Tweeple were furious and one even alleged she wore gloves "to protect herself from black kids" because she feared they would "contaminate her".

The 22-year-old beauty queen met children at a soup kitchen in Johannesburg and as she was serving out food at Ikageng community centre to children some of whom were also HIV-positive she was seen wearing the gloves (Source: Miss South Africa / Twitter)

Winning a beauty pageant brings a lot of touring, limelight and some social work as well. Miss South Africa Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters recently visited black children at an orphanage where she volunteered to feed them. However, her pictures shared on social media sparked outrage, after she was spotted wearing latex gloves while sharing a meal with them.

The 22-year-old beauty queen met children at a soup kitchen in Johannesburg and as she was serving out food at Ikageng community centre to children, some of whom were also HIV-positive, she was seen wearing the gloves, The Independent reported. Though in her defence she said it was only a measure to ensure hygiene while working with food, people on social media did not buy it. Some even termed her “racist” slamming her for her actions.

She even posted a video on Twitter to clarify after facing a backlash and said that she did not mean to offend anyone. “All the volunteers on site wore gloves today because we honestly thought that it’s the right thing to do while working with food and while handing out food to young kids,” Nel-Peters said.

However, orphanage staff supported Miss South Africa and refused any claims that called her a racist. “Of course it wasn’t because she didn’t want to touch black children,” said Carol Dyantyi, a spokesperson for the Orlando West Community Centre Ikageng. “We told her, and all other volunteers, to wear them while they were handling food around the children,” Dyantyi told BBC. She also said that Miss South Africa was not wearing gloves throughout the day but only when she was handling food.